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polamalubeast
09-27-2010, 11:24 AM
TAMPA, Fla. — They've whipped a good team at home, a good team on the road, and an allegedly good one away from Heinz Field. Thanks to more lights-out defense, playing without their franchise quarterback isn't the end of the world for the Steelers.

One thing's certain: It isn't too early to start mentioning the Steelers and legitimate Super Bowl contenders in the same sentence.

Charlie Batch turned back the clock Sunday, passing and running the Tampa Bay Buccaneers crazy. It was all coach Mike Tomlin could do not to sprint on the field and shake some sense into Batch following a 24-yard scramble in the second quarter of the Steelers' easy 38-13 win at Raymond James Stadium.

Batch wasn't injured on the play, and even if he had been, it wouldn't have mattered. The Steelers won their first two games with a struggling Dennis Dixon, and they won yesterday with Batch on top of his game.

Batch was feeling spry for a 35-year-old quarterback making his first start in three years. Who could blame him? The defense, as expected, held the Buccaneers in check. If the Steelers shut down Chris Johnson and Michael Turner the first two weeks, how hard could it be stopping Cadillac Williams? The Steelers turned him into Pinto Williams (six carries, 13 yards).

Ah, that defense.

Everyone was so mesmerized by Roethlisberger's four-game suspension that we totally overlooked Dick LeBeau's wrecking crew.

"That might be the perception we changed for ya'll," said Pro Bowl linebacker James Harrison. "But we had a perception that we're going to be the team we're used to being, and that's what we're doing right now."

Yes, these Steelers are definitely Super Bowl material. Name a better 3-0 team.

"Of course we did," Steelers receiver Mike Wallace said when asked if the Steelers players believed they would be 3-0. "We never worry about what nobody says. We know what type of team we have." This is the same team whose iffy quarterback situation was enough to give Tomlin heartburn until a solution presented itself when Dixon re-injured his left knee last week at Tennessee and forced Batch into the starting lineup.


read more

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_701492.html

fansince'76
09-27-2010, 11:26 AM
We were 6-2 and considered contenders last season at one point too. Before you know it, we were all of a sudden 6-7. Too early for the Super Bowl talk. WAY too early.

The Duke
09-27-2010, 11:28 AM
No superbowl talk please!

Gonna be hard to fly under the radar now, but I want people to continue doubting them

Mach1
09-27-2010, 11:31 AM
We were 6-2 and considered contenders last season at one point too. Before you know it, we were all of a sudden 6-7. Too early for the Super Bowl talk. WAY too early.

Exactly. Anything could happen at this point.
I'd rather we keep under the radar.

fansince'76
09-27-2010, 11:33 AM
I'd rather we keep under the radar.

I just looked at the standings - we and KC are the only two teams in the AFC who are still unbeaten, so staying under the radar is going to be hard. But the Super Bowl talk is still way too early.

polamalubeast
09-27-2010, 11:38 AM
I agree it's early, but it is our goal!

With Roethlisberger and Polamalu in the lineup, its no doubt they are a team that may be competing for the super bowl!

It would be an incredible feeling to win the Super Bowl in the stadium of Jerry Jones!

Wallace108
09-27-2010, 12:47 PM
It would be an incredible feeling to win the Super Bowl in the stadium of Jerry Jones!

That's why I'd love to see the Redskins make the Super Bowl. Steelers vs. Redskins in Dallas's stadium ... schweeet.

But as others have said ... much too early to even start thinking about it.

steelpride12
09-27-2010, 01:12 PM
Ill stick with the media throwing us under the bus and forgetting about us. Under the radar is where the Steelers shine so leave them there.

memphissteelergirl
09-27-2010, 01:14 PM
Ill stick with the media throwing us under the bus and forgetting about us. Under the radar is where the Steelers shine so leave them there.

:amen:

SteelerEmpire
09-27-2010, 02:18 PM
Take it from the Jets and the Ravens... early SB talk hasn't helped them at all...

venom
09-27-2010, 02:24 PM
When the power rankings come out tomorrow , please let me see the Steelers at # 10 , 11 or 12-but for some reason I dont think so .

stlrtruck
09-27-2010, 02:30 PM
There are two things I know for certain.

1) The Super Bowl is in Dallas
2) This week we play the hated ratbirds!

steelreserve
09-27-2010, 02:49 PM
They can go ahead and hype us up as Super Bowl contenders all they want and I'll be happy, because at least it's not more Colts and Patriots ballwashing. If the media wants to gag themselves on a fat Steeler dick for a few weeks, that's fine by me; it'll be a welcome change of pace.

SteelerSal
09-27-2010, 03:03 PM
Ill stick with the media throwing us under the bus and forgetting about us. Under the radar is where the Steelers shine so leave them there.


Superbowl talk now is bad luck MOJO, IMO. (yes I'm superstitious like that)

BuddhaBus
09-27-2010, 03:07 PM
Take it from the Jets and the Ravens... early SB talk hasn't helped them at all...


...and the Cowboys and the Chargers and the Vikings and the Bengals and the 49ers...

beSteelmyheart
09-27-2010, 03:18 PM
They can go ahead and hype us up as Super Bowl contenders all they want and I'll be happy, because at least it's not more Colts and Patriots ballwashing. If the media wants to gag themselves on a fat Steeler dick for a few weeks, that's fine by me; it'll be a welcome change of pace.
:lol: How true!
But you forgot to mention the Cowgirls!! Now that they have finally won a game, the media will once again be falling all over themselves to jump back into that circle jerk.

Dino 6 Rings
09-27-2010, 04:26 PM
As a Steelers fan, one of the greatest things for me is going into each season believing my team can make the Playoffs and in turn, Make the Super Bowl.

Every Single Year I go into the season believing we are good enough to beat any team, any day, on any field.

This week...I believe we can beat the Ravens.

polamalubeast
09-27-2010, 04:31 PM
As a Steelers fan, one of the greatest things for me is going into each season believing my team can make the Playoffs and in turn, Make the Super Bowl.

Every Single Year I go into the season believing we are good enough to beat any team, any day, on any field.

This week...I believe we can beat the Ravens.


:amen:

Galax Steeler
09-27-2010, 04:35 PM
I just can't imagine what we will be like when Ben gets back into the lineup. I know that Batch played a good game but with Ben in there they have to prepare alot different.

tube517
09-27-2010, 04:39 PM
Agreed. Way too early for the SB talk. They need to concentrate on the Ratbirds.


We were 6-2 and considered contenders last season at one point too. Before you know it, we were all of a sudden 6-7. Too early for the Super Bowl talk. WAY too early.

tube517
09-27-2010, 04:40 PM
Yep, see NFLN Total Access where Pee-on and Irvin are all excited. Puke.


:lol: How true!
But you forgot to mention the Cowgirls!! Now that they have finally won a game, the media will once again be falling all over themselves to jump back into that circle jerk.

stillers4me
09-27-2010, 04:49 PM
Everyone was so mesmerized by Roethlisberger's four-game suspension that we totally overlooked Dick LeBeau's wrecking crew.



Not me. I always had confidence in this team. I had a gut feeling about what all the Ben hoopla was going to do to this team's focus....and so far I'm right. Too early for superbowl talk......but my gut is talking to me again......

Dino 6 Rings
09-27-2010, 04:53 PM
2 injuries away from being the same team we were last year. Troy and Smith.

Well also, we have McFadden back on the corner. But still...that's all it took to derail our entire defense last season.

Just Beat the Ravens. That is all that matters. I HATE THE RAVENS!!!

steeldawg
09-27-2010, 05:35 PM
Does anyone else get the sense that our team seems much nastier this year. We are playing like we hate everyone, and i love it!!!

steelreserve
09-27-2010, 06:39 PM
2 injuries away from being the same team we were last year. Troy and Smith.


Does anyone else get the sense that our team seems much nastier this year. We are playing like we hate everyone, and i love it!!!


Both very true.

Every time we win the Super Bowl, the next season we come out with zero defensive swagger or imagination. We basically line up and tell the offense "these are the four guys we're going to rush" and that's what we do. Then we get our asses handed to us because our defense doesn't work well if you try to play straight-up; you have to be aggressive. So we miss the playoffs and get fired up again, and start playing better the year after.

I am always worried about what will happen if Troy or Smith goes down. I think we're in a little better position to handle it if we lost Smith, but Troy would ruin the season. He is definitely the most important player on the team, and probably the best defensive player in the league.

Craic
09-27-2010, 07:13 PM
I am always worried about what will happen if Troy or Smith goes down. I think we're in a little better position to handle it if we lost Smith, but Troy would ruin the season. He is definitely the most important player on the team, and probably the best defensive player in the league.

What really kills me, is that we don't seem to do anything to counteract that problem. This year, we did bring in some different safeties to give them a look, but finding someone like Troy is 1 in a million. I would prefer to see different scheming and packages that allows this defense to operate well without Troy.

The bigger issue however, is that we have fixed the second CB position. McFadden coming in has really helped us.. and allowed Gay to move back to the 3rd position, which has really bolstered that spot as well. I think those two moves are just as important as Aaron and Troy coming back-not because of the players themselves, but because of the talent upgrade with the moves. A quarter to a third of the defense basically had talent upgrades on any given down.

steelreserve
09-27-2010, 09:31 PM
What really kills me, is that we don't seem to do anything to counteract that problem. This year, we did bring in some different safeties to give them a look, but finding someone like Troy is 1 in a million. I would prefer to see different scheming and packages that allows this defense to operate well without Troy.

The bigger issue however, is that we have fixed the second CB position. McFadden coming in has really helped us.. and allowed Gay to move back to the 3rd position, which has really bolstered that spot as well. I think those two moves are just as important as Aaron and Troy coming back-not because of the players themselves, but because of the talent upgrade with the moves. A quarter to a third of the defense basically had talent upgrades on any given down.

I'm not sure if there is a good way to plan for Troy being out. I don't think we could be a serious Super Bowl contender without our best defense on the field playing all-out, so that's the way we have to plan.

However, I do think we could've done a lot better job making adjustments last year and at least been a playoff team. Not having the right personnel at CB was a huge part of that, which is why bringing back McFadden was huge. Clark also looked lost without Polamalu back there, which I am not sure how to compensate for completely. To some extent, I think we just need to cross our fingers and hope Troy holds up for the entire season. He's really that important.

Merchant
09-27-2010, 11:04 PM
Well.. the team that everyone predicted to be in the Super Bowl just fell to the Bears... On that note - I don't see anyone out there that the Steelers can't ball with.